Oceana Rain Stuart is a member of our 7th Edition Juror Panel.

What is your artistic training and what brought you to sculpture?

I attended California College of the Arts on a full scholarship for fashion design and fine art with a minor in Writing and Literature as well as Ecological Practices. I am primarily a self-taught sculpture artist with the exception of a few workshops. I have been sculpting since early childhood. Growing up, my mother brought me to her art studio because she could not afford to hire a babysitter, so I guess my mother was my first art teacher. In her studio, I had my own art supplies, and this kept me busy while she worked on her own work. I have a cherished photo of me sculpting in the garden with my mother when I was 2.5.

What drew you to exploring the human figure in your work?

I am inspired by the emotional and spiritual content of the human condition and how every face shares a lifetime of stories - to me, this is true beauty. I’m fascinated by the subtle physical gestures, like the movement of a hand, the gaze of the eyes, as well as the contradiction of openness that is enclosed in the body language of the human form. In art practice, I express tension in emotionally evocative subject matter that is expressive of light and dark aspects of the human condition – the uplifting, optimistic, fortunate and enlightened parts, as well as the depressing, devastating, depleted, frustrating and hopeless. I often explore through symbology the permanence and impermanence of life on earth. I sculpt the human form in my work as vessel of communication and less for the human features and anatomy. I always work from life as a reference although I take much artistic license.

What is your favorite era in art history and why?

One of my many favorite eras in art history is Gothic, specifically Romanesque. I love the mystery, the tall and airy architecture, monumental and portable sculpture, and ornate decoration. I also love ancient Greek sculpture for the imaginative refinement of the work.

What motivates you to create? How do you define success as an artist?

I find that I can communicate in ways through my art that I may not always have the courage or ability to do in day-to-day life. Art is a language after all. Something beautiful happens when we let our guard down - we become vulnerable, instinctively primitive and essentially free. It is an honor when I have an opportunity to capture this in my work. I find that when I remove the expectations of how the completed artwork will be expressed, and allow the raw honesty of pure artistic expression to come out, my work flows and this is when magic happens. This awakening that must come out in every piece is what it’s all about to me.

Success is when I reach that sweet spot where I feel I have conveyed the message behind my work that I set out to express.

You have a number of amazing achievements under your belt, can you discuss the one that has meant the most?

Without a doubt I would say that when my work was invited to go to the moon- literally, was and is mind-blowing. It is a huge honor that I will be eternally grateful for. The artists on The Moon mission was created and funded by Dr Samuel Peralta of the The Lunar Codex. Dr Peralta curated an art museum on the moon that depicts life on earth as seen through the eyes of artists in an effort to preserve life on earth.

In total, 21 analogue and digital images of my work are going to the moon in two separate time capsules as part of a historical museum featuring figurative art from around the world. Incidentally, my work will be amongst the first women artists to display art on the moon. The first launch in 2022 will within a Lunar Lander destined to the Oceanus Procellarum region of the Moon within the "The Nova Collection”. The second batch of images featuring Stuart’s work will be within “The Polaris Collection”. In 2023 it will be launched to the South Pole and will search of water. This time capsule will be attached to a NASA Rover that will search for water. There are 3 launches in total and my work is within 2 of them.

What role does your artwork have in society?

My hope, is to inspire others to pursue their passions and dreams. My role as an artist, is to explore aspects of life that have an eternal effect on the human condition.

Can you talk about your biggest learning experience during the process of creating your sculptures?

There are specific challenges involved with every piece I work on. Some more so than others. There are moments where I have struggled with how I wanted a piece to be versus how they needed to be from an intuitive and organic expression. I love the process, it truly is a journey of discovery of the pure expression of the subject matter and vulnerability behind the sentiment.

From a technical standpoint, one of my biggest challenges yet was when I sculpted the entire Eternity series a second time. I created this 9- figure body of work in an oil-based plasticine clay and during an unexpected heatwave several of my pieces collapsed and others dripped down the armatures just a few days before I had planned to deliver it to the foundry. It was a six-month process of re-sculpting all of the Eternity Series. Fortunately, I am now working in a climate- controlled art studio.

What projects are you working on currently? Can you discuss them?

I always with work in a series, I enjoy the challenge of creating a multi piece collection. My current series will have an unveiling so because I want it to be a surprise, I don’t want to share too much about it at this time, although I can share say that my work is inspired by the human condition.

What is your dream project or piece you hope to accomplish?

For past several years, I have been creating art for a sculpture garden.

What advice do you think emerging artists need to hear?

Follow your heart, listen to your instincts, take chances, and learn from artists who inspire you. Creating art is a lifelong quest, don’t be hard on yourself and know that it takes a lot of practice to grow. Everyone has their own set of unique artistic gifts, and we are all deserving.

To view more of Oceana Rain Stuart work

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